Teen gunman admits guilt

A 16-year-old youth has admitted he was one of the two masked
armed gunmen who held up the Welcome Bay Foodmarket in
August.

The teenager, who cannot be named because he has automatic
name suppression due to his age, admitted a charge of
aggravated robbery when he appeared in Tauranga Youth Court
yesterday.

The charge relates to the boy and an associate entering the
Foodmarket on the evening of August 23 armed with pistols
(possibly imitation) and demanding money from the store owner
before fleeing on foot.

Money and property were taken in the robbery, the court was
told.

The teenager was arrested and charged with the armed robbery
after Tauranga police, including members of the armed
offenders squad, executed two search warrants in Welcome Bay
last month.

Judge Louis Bidois directed a family group conference be
arranged and called for a FGC report. He remanded the
teenager on continued bail.

The judge told the boy that if had been an adult, the
question of bail would not even have arisen, and whether the
matter would remain in the youth court or be transferred to
the district court was yet to be decided.

The teenager was remanded to reappear in Tauranga Youth Court
on January 29.